NGA Center for Best Practices
Honor States Grant Program Phase Two Awards
Increase Course Rigor
($140,000 Grant; $40,000 Match Required)
Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania will work with NGA and ACT on a district and
school-level pilot project promoting high-level college-oriented content. The states will
partner with districts within each state (at least one urban and one rural), and three high
schools within each district to offer ACT’s Model Course Syllabi for college preparatory
courses (in English, mathematics, and science) in the sophomore year. Specifically, the
partnership will:
•
Evaluate the match between state high school standards, college placement
standards, and ACT’s Model Course Syllabi in English, mathematics, and science via
the ACT Course Rigor Evaluation Process (“audit”).
•
Host a series of curriculum improvement and assessment workshops for teachers in
the selected districts that focus on certifying course quality and improving instruction.
The states will also develop an instructional resource bank for teachers containing
sample instructional activities tied to the Model Course Syllabi.
•
Host quarterly statewide meetings of gubernatorial and legislative staff and statelevel K–12 and higher education leadership to discuss state policy implications of the
audits (e.g., guidance and financial aid for students, professional development,
teacher assignments, virtual coursework, regular audits of course quality). ACT and
the NGA Center will deliver a report, based on the audit, with recommendations to
the governor and legislature.
Mississippi
Mississippi will direct its course rigor efforts to those districts and high schools most
impacted by Hurricane Katrina.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma aims to increase the rigor of coursework in the high schools in two urban and
two rural districts. Along with implementing the above activities, Oklahoma will use the
state’s GEAR UP initiative to scale up the state’s effort to increase course rigor by
adding districts completing the rigor analysis through the year 2011.
Pennsylvania
This project will include one urban district (three high schools) and three rural districts
(three high schools).
Expand Advanced Placement Participation
($500,000 Grant; $500,000 Match Required)
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Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maine, Nevada, and Wisconsin, in partnership with the
College Board and NGA Center, will work to improve disadvantaged students’ access to,
and success in, college-level Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The states will pursue
two activities simultaneously: 1) Development of a statewide AP expansion strategy that
includes the implementation of programs and policies that increase student preparation
for and success in AP courses—and that prepares many more teachers to teach AP;
and 2) The implementation of an intensive AP expansion effort in one urban and one
rural public school district, whereby a number of innovative AP expansion strategies can
be field-tested and evaluated. Specifically, the states will:
•
Provide resources to add AP courses to select high schools and districts during the
2006-07 year, including the support of professional development; classroom
supplies; lab equipment; college-level textbooks; and support activities for students.
•
Implement sequential professional development events for each AP subject area.
•
Implement several programs and strategies at the middle grades and junior high
levels that increase the preparation of all students for success in AP courses.
•
Participate in a learning laboratory for teams of policymakers and educators from the
six states that will be co-hosted by the NGA Center and the College Board.
Alabama
The state has identified one urban district, one rural district, and six of their high schools
to participate in this effort to expand AP participation. Along with the activities described
above, Alabama will choose an external evaluation firm to assess the progress of the
pilot districts and schools and integrate AP expansion into the Alabama High School
Redesign Strategic Plan.
Georgia
Georgia will support the selected districts and schools in implementing programs and
strategies to increase enrollment in AP courses, to increase the number of AP courses
offered, and to improve student achievement on AP exams. Georgia will also use a
portion of the grant funds to pay AP exam fees, beyond what is currently funded by the
state, in participating schools.
Kentucky
Kentucky will work with one urban and one rural district and three high schools within
each to expand AP opportunities and participation.
Maine
Through this grant, Maine will extend AP and other college preparatory opportunities in
seven districts across the state. Along with the activities described above, Maine will
offer incentives to teachers and work with a wide range of districts including an island
school 15 miles from the mainland.
Nevada
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Nevada will partner with Clark County School District, the fifth largest school district in
the country. This district also serves the largest representation of minority students in the
state. Along with the activities described above, Nevada will recruit more minority
teachers to teach AP, invite high school students to be teachers, and make an effort to
develop culturally diverse curricula to reach students of all backgrounds.
Wisconsin
Wisconsin will utilize NGA support and matching state funds to expand AP participation
and success in one urban school district and a consortium of eight rural school districts.
The Governor's Office and the Department of Public Instruction will collaborate with the
AP Consortium at the Center of Education and Work (University of Wisconsin-Madison),
the Wisconsin Virtual School, and several other partners to increase AP opportunities for
minority, low-income and rural students via distance learning and provide professional
development opportunities for AP teachers and coordinators.
Improve Teacher Knowledge and Skills and/or Recruitment and Retention
($100,000 Grant)
Connecticut, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Wyoming will help ensure teacher content knowledge
is aligned with student standards and that instructional strategies help all students meet
higher standards. In addition, these states will support all high schools in their efforts to
recruit and retain qualified, effective teachers for every classroom.
Connecticut
With this grant, Connecticut will provide job-embedded professional development for up
to 10 multi-disciplinary teams representing rural, suburban, and urban school districts;
initiate and support classroom-based and school-based action research projects with
each team; and identify, train, and support a cadre of candidates who are making midcareer transitions into education through the Alternative Route to Certification (ARC) and
who are seeking teaching positions in hard-to-staff areas.
Iowa
Iowa will focus on improving the literacy skills of students in high schools identified as
Schools in Need of Assistance for reading. To accomplish this, Iowa will train language
arts, Title I, special education, and reading specialists to implement Second Chance
Reading (SCR), a developmental reading program specifically designed for adolescents
who have significant delays in reading. Iowa will also train content-area teachers to
incorporate Question Answer Relationships (QAR), an evidence-based reading
comprehension strategy for adolescent readers in their content-area instruction.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma will increase the number of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in
urban high schools in the Oklahoma City Public School District. This effort will
complement the Oklahoma City Public School Foundation project, which has been in
place for four years to focus on recruiting and supporting middle school teachers to
achieve NBCT certification. A local university will support candidates through the
Education Leadership Oklahoma cohort mentor program. Through this project,
Oklahoma will work to modify state and local policies, including providing incentives, to
retain these highly effective teachers in hard-to-staff, low-performing high schools.
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Wyoming
This grant will address the unique needs of Wyoming’s late-career teachers. To
accomplish this, Wyoming will conduct a needs survey of all Wyoming teachers who are
classified as late career either by age or years of service; create the “New Learning for
Wyoming’s Senior Teachers” Scholarship Program, which will include grants of up to
$5,000 to support any scholarly activity that will help teachers retain their vigor and
enthusiasm for teaching; and develop a mentoring program that pairs near-retirement
teachers with early-career teachers. This mentoring will be supported with professional
development, a listserv for communications, and site visits.
Turn Around Low-Performing High Schools
($200,000 Grant)
With these grants, Nevada and New Hampshire will identify low-performing high schools
and provide incentives, resources, and assistance for them to improve.
Nevada
The state will pair successful high schools with low-performing schools that have similar
demographics to provide peer collaboration and mentoring. Targeted Nevada high
schools will become members of the Successful Practices Network (SPN) to receive
focused technical assistance, resources, and support; participate in Study Tours, twoday site visits to successful schools; receive consultant support and focused
professional development; and use Student Learning Criteria and Site Visit Protocol to
evaluate improvement and progress.
New Hampshire
With this grant, New Hampshire will engage in activities to close the learning gap
between the state's high performing and low performing high schools; increase high
school graduation rates and decrease drop out rates; implement a student identification
system ensuring accurate data on every child's academic achievement; establish a
grade 11-14 dual high school/college system; align high school exit standards and
college entrance standards; provide high school redesign training to high school leaders
and their teams grounded in Breaking Ranks: Seven Cornerstone Strategies to Improve
Student Performance; improve high school literacy rates; and identify supports for
schools wishing to address the needs of low-performing students through individualized
learning plans.
Streamline Education Governance
($50,000 Grant)
Arizona, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Oklahoma, and Wyoming will streamline
education governance to hold both the K-12 and postsecondary systems accountable for
common goals and education outcomes. In addition, the selected states will work to
coordinate policies for high schools and public two- and four-year postsecondary
institutions. This will help inform the public about what students need to know and be
able to do to transition to the next education level.
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Arizona
The established P-20 Council will examine issues and promote policy and programs that
help all Arizona's students meet higher standards and prepare for formal education and
workforce training beyond high school; develop common goals, performance
benchmarks, and educational policies to provide more opportunities and increased
achievement for all students; restore value to the high school diploma by striving to
improve all students' performance in reading, writing, math, and science; and discuss
quality and rigor of required coursework, including teacher quality and support,
alignment of business and industry expectations with high school graduation standards,
Honors, Advanced Placement, and other high school programs.
Connecticut
The Governor will convene a Pre-K-16 Education Council that will coordinate efforts to
support the implementation of recommendations made by the High School Advisory
Committee; advise the State Board of Education and the Board of Governors for Higher
Education; and develop consensus around the two-year and 10-year goals for the Pre-K16 Council.
Florida
Florida will leverage its existing K-20 governance system to update statewide and local
articulation agreements and work to develop a common measure of college-readiness
across secondary and postsecondary education
Georgia
Georgia will create a permanent P-16 Council that will align Secondary Education
Redesign with college- and work-ready standards; pending additional funding,
coordinate a public awareness campaign to build public will for Secondary Education
Redesign; coordinate Georgia’s Secondary Education Redesign efforts to bring meaning
to the high school diploma and provide incentives for P-16 collaboratives (school,
college, and business) to develop innovative redesign models; oversee the use of a fouryear cohort graduation rate and pending additional funding, oversee the development of
a P-16 data system.
Oklahoma
The state will create a PK-16 Council by Executive Order that will examine, identify, and
act on issues related to rigor and relevance for high school students and readiness for
college and career; review the progress and success for the identified activities of the
Honor States grant to consider recommendations to legislative, education, and business
leaders; convene town hall meetings to present findings of the council and various
studies and projects of this initiative; and develop and execute an effective
communications strategy.
Wyoming
With this grant, Wyoming will convene the Wyoming Education Stakeholders’ Summit
that will include individuals drawn from every school district, state and local government,
postsecondary division, communities, parents, students, business organizations, and
interest groups. The summit will result in working groups that commit to work with each
other over two years and provide specific policy recommendations on the topic of high
school reform for the governor, legislature, department of education, and school districts.
The recommendations will cover areas such as a statewide longitudinal P-16 data
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system career guidance, transition from Carnegie unit to standards-based system, and
professional development. All working groups will be reconvened at the end of the two
years to share their recommendations. Results of the meetings will be shared with the
greater public through a media campaign.
Use Virtual Learning to Advance High School Improvement
($100,000 Grant)
Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee will create or expand their statewide
virtual high school as a means of increasing opportunities for more rigorous course
offerings and/or advanced placement courses.
Georgia
With this grant, Georgia will partner with schools to expand online learning opportunities
to more students; provide professional development to teachers of online courses; assist
students enrolled in online AP and other rigorous courses with ongoing coaches; and
develop the expansion strategy to bring online coursework to districts and schools
across the state.
Kentucky
Kentucky plans to expand its successful Kentucky Virtual School program to provide
advanced coursework to more students. To accomplish this, Kentucky will develop
online diagnostics and modular content to be delivered during the senior year to
students at risk of not being ready for college mathematics and English; create creditbearing proficiency-based learning partnerships between students and communities of
practice; increase the number of online AP offerings and dual credit opportunities
through local and regional dual credit agreements and national postsecondary
institutions; boost capacity to deliver high quality content through the online sharing of
master teachers and the development of a teacher workforce that is virtual learning
savvy; and launch a significant public outreach campaign.
North Carolina
NCVirtual, will allow the state to increase the rigor and relevance of its course offerings
in high schools to better assist students who need extra time and support as well as
provide expanded course offerings and advanced preparatory classes. North Carolina
will establish standards for all virtual courses; promote all existing virtual high school
courses; design new courses to better engage and challenge students; and provide
professional development for teachers both teaching virtual courses and traditional
teachers who will integrate online coursework into their classrooms.
Tennessee
The state will expand its e4TN virtual learning initiative and pilot course delivery in
several school districts. To accomplish this, Tennessee will fund three teams to develop
rigorous online courses in math, science, and foreign language that meet collegereadiness expectations; partner with districts and schools to enhance the neediest
students’ access to and proficiency with technology and online learning; train teachers
for delivery of new courses; and design and implement a communications strategy.
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Develop a Statewide Longitudinal K-12 Data System
($150,000 Grant)
Kentucky and Nevada will each build an individual student-unit, longitudinal data system
that connects K–12 and postsecondary data systems,
Kentucky
To enhance implementation of the Kentucky Instructional Data System (KIDS), Kentucky
will assign a permanent, unique student identifier to each student; develop an enterprisewide data architecture that includes a data model, data dictionary, business rules, and
quality assurance procedures; create procedures for protecting the security,
confidentiality, and integrity of data and for ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of data;
and integrate local, institutional, and state data collections, including plans for requiring
participation in the statewide data system and an electronic infrastructure to transfer
large data files.
Nevada
To enhance its current P-12 and high education data systems and scheduled
improvements, Nevada will conduct a study of what Florida and other states are doing to
provide longitudinal student level data analysis across the P-16 spectrum. In addition,
the state will build the capacity of teachers, principals, counselors, and district personnel
to evaluate program effectiveness and impacts of improvement efforts on student
performance. Three levels of training will be provided: District Data Steward training
(district reporting, user profile management, training of other staff), Power User training
(report development, ad-hoc analysis, data export, and advanced query concepts), and
End User training.
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